Gonna be a good series. Wish I was more confident that the Devils will win, but the realistic side of me thinks the Flyers take it. Hope I'm wrong of course. Just curious what are the forward line combos like for you guys?

I'm was in the minority when the Richards and Carter deals took place - saying I'd rather have kept Carter, but what they got in return for him was just too good, especially with what those 2 players (Couturier + Voracek) have been able to contribute to the team.

Gonna be a good series. Wish I was more confident that the Devils will win, but the realistic side of me thinks the Flyers take it. Hope I'm wrong of course. Just curious what are the forward line combos like for you guys?
- zach parise9

All of the talking heads on TSN previewing the Devils/Flyers matchup agree that Marty has to really play at his best level for the Devils to win the series. I agree with that to an extent but when I look at the Devils 4 lines I see a group that could really frustrate the Flyers offensively creative forwards and match up much better than the Penguins could.

Projected Flyers forward units:

Note: I can see anyone of Voracek, Simmonds, JvR, Talbot and Read bumping up or down on lines as well.

Scott Hartnell - Claude Giroux - Jaromir Jagr
Matt Read - Brayden Schenn - Wayne Simmonds
James van Riemsdyk - Danny Briere - Jakub Voracek
Maxime Talbot - Sean Couturier - Eric Wellwood

Braydon Coburn - Nicklas Grossmann
Kimmo Timonen - Matt Carle
Andreas Lilja - Erik Gustafsson

Martin Brodeur will start in his 178th consecutive postseason game for the Devils Sunday afternoon when they take on the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Wells Fargo Center.

The NHL record streak began with Game 1 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals against the Rangers and has covered four trips to the Stanley Cup Finals and three championships.

Over that streak, the Flyers have gone through 12 different starting goaltenders in the playoffs – Martin Biron, Sergei Bobrovsky, Brian Boucher, Sean Burke, Ilya Bryzgalov, Roman Cechmanek, Robert Esche, Ron Hextall, Michael Leighton, Antero Niittymaki, Garth Snow and John Vanbiesbrouck.


- _Zippy_

I'll give credit where credit is due. The New Jersey Devils were a force to be reckoned with in the late 90's to the early 2000's but have been in a decline for some time now. I feel the Red Wings about to hit the same skid, as I feel they have been the force in recent years. The Devils close to losing Brodeur and the Wings to lose Lidstrom. I'm not saying the Flyers will be the next force, only time will tell. I will say that Paul Holmgren has placed his team in a position to be that next force with the youth they've brought in. The only way my opinion can be confirmed is by winning a Cup and stay competitive. It's easy to be intimidated by history but that's all it is now. My view could possibly be wrong but living in Detroit and listening to Sports Radio daily, the radio personalities and fans have zero confidence in the Red Wings for the moment, especially with the uncertain future of their Captain. Unless the Devils find another Diamond in the rough, they could easily be stuck where we've been.

I'll give credit where credit is due. The New Jersey Devils were a force to be reckoned with in the late 90's to the early 2000's but have been in a decline for some time now. I feel the Red Wings about to hit the same skid, as I feel they have been the force in recent years. The Devils close to losing Brodeur and the Wings to lose Lidstrom. I'm not saying the Flyers will be the next force, only time will tell. I will say that Paul Holmgren has placed his team in a position to be that next force with the youth they've brought in. The only way my opinion can be confirmed is by winning a Cup and stay competitive. It's easy to be intimidated by history but that's all it is now. My view could possibly be wrong but living in Detroit and listening to Sports Radio daily, the radio personalities and fans have zero confidence in the Red Wings for the moment, especially with the uncertain future of their Captain. Unless the Devils find another Diamond in the rough, they could easily be stuck where we've been.
- roenick97

The Devils have a ton of solid prospects that are a year or 2 away from becoming fulltime NHL players.

The Devils have a ton of solid prospects that are a year or 2 away from becoming fulltime NHL players.
- Pixote Andolini

So do the Red Wings but will these prospects have the impact Brodeur or Lidstrom has had for the Devils and Red Wings? Will they even have the same impact Schenn, Couturier, Read and Wellwood have had instantly?

Malkin had 1 even strength point the entire series when Couturier was on the ice against him. 3 the entire season in 12 games including the playoffs.

This includes the 10-3 game which was the only time Couturier was on the ice for an even strength point for Malkin the entire series. So we are not just making up this he shut down Malkin stuff.
- Phifly10

oh boy

Interesting tidbit.

DeBoer separated Kovalchuk and Parise in practice, but has not yet committed to these lines.

Ponikarovski-Zajac-Kovalchuk
Parise-Elias-Zubrus
Sykora-Henrique-Clarkson
Carter-Gionta-Bernier

Seems like DeBoer is trying to stop both Parise and Kovalchuk from potentially getting negated by Couturier's line, making the Flyers have to choose which one to check. Or he might be trying to get balanced scoring, and get Elias/Zubrus going.
- _Zippy_

different from playing the panthers eh

James van Riemsdyk is projected to start the second round on a line with Jakub Voracek and Danny Briere. van Riemsdyk returned from a foot injury on April 20, but he got very little ice time in that contest or Game 6 when the Flyers won their series. He's had another week to recover since Philadelphia's last game, so he should get significantly more playing time on Sunday.
Source: csnphilly.com
- stveshdy

hmmm ixnay from me. leave schenn on there.

Backes, Berglund, Stewart, Pietrangelo, Oshie, Andymac, Shattenkirk, Halak, Steen, D'agostini

I love half that team.
- mochoson

backes and oshie

I just gave them up last year and it's been great. I didn't want to turn 40, soon, and have to tell my kids I couldn't come out of the bathroom because that's where I was when the Flyers last scored a powerplay goal.
- Cloverfield

get yr ass back in the bathroom, pal.

All of the talking heads on TSN previewing the Devils/Flyers matchup agree that Marty has to really play at his best level for the Devils to win the series. I agree with that to an extent but when I look at the Devils 4 lines I see a group that could really frustrate the Flyers offensively creative forwards and match up much better than the Penguins could.

Projected Flyers forward units:

Note: I can see anyone of Voracek, Simmonds, JvR, Talbot and Read bumping up or down on lines as well.

Scott Hartnell - Claude Giroux - Jaromir Jagr
Matt Read - Brayden Schenn - Wayne Simmonds
James van Riemsdyk - Danny Briere - Jakub Voracek
Maxime Talbot - Sean Couturier - Eric Wellwood

Braydon Coburn - Nicklas Grossmann
Kimmo Timonen - Matt Carle
Andreas Lilja - Erik Gustafsson
- Pixote Andolini

That is one (frank)ing deep forward group. All 4 lines can score. It is a good thing Parise and Kovalchuk are separated, now only one will have to play against the Couturier line. Hopefully Kovalchuk is healthy, he was apparently injured round 1, played like it any ways. We are deep 4 lines too though. Our 4th line had combined for 5 goals and 4 assist against the Panthers. More than the 2nd and 3rd lines.

Martin Brodeur will start in his 178th consecutive postseason game for the Devils Sunday afternoon when they take on the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Wells Fargo Center.

The NHL record streak began with Game 1 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals against the Rangers and has covered four trips to the Stanley Cup Finals and three championships.

Over that streak, the Flyers have gone through 12 different starting goaltenders in the playoffs – Martin Biron, Sergei Bobrovsky, Brian Boucher, Sean Burke, Ilya Bryzgalov, Roman Cechmanek, Robert Esche, Ron Hextall, Michael Leighton, Antero Niittymaki, Garth Snow and John Vanbiesbrouck.


- _Zippy_

the flyers approach, has CLEARLY been superior.

I'm was in the minority when the Richards and Carter deals took place - saying I'd rather have kept Carter, but what they got in return for him was just too good, especially with what those 2 players (Couturier + Voracek) have been able to contribute to the team.
- Pixote Andolini

honestly, i was thrilled the day the trades were made and haven't changed my position at all. i love the assets the flyers acquired - couturier, voracek, simmonds, and schenn have all contributed nicely and still have tons of upside.

interestingly enough, carter and richards were reunited mid-season and now are in exactly the same position as their former team - the 2nd round. it will take some to determine who "won" the trades, but in the early going the flyers appear to have made good decisions.

That is one (frank)ing deep forward group. All 4 lines can score. It is a good thing Parise and Kovalchuk are separated, now only one will have to play against the Couturier line. Hopefully Kovalchuk is healthy, he was apparently injured round 1, played like it any ways. We are deep 4 lines too though. Our 4th line had combined for 5 goals and 4 assist against the Panthers. More than the 2nd and 3rd lines.
- zach parise9

that's what you need at this time of the year - other guys stepping up and contributing offense to get through a series. the top line can't do it every night.